4 Zimbabweans killed & 29 critically injured

Four people were killed while 29 others were injured when the driver of an Eagleliner cross border coach they were travelling in lost control resulting in the bus overturning near Louis Trichardt town in South Africa’s Limpopo Province today. Limpopo police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Ronel Otto said the incident occurred at around 10 am this morning near Witvlag turnoff along the N1 highway.

Lieutenant Colonel Otto said the bus was travelling from Zimbabwe to Johannesburg in Gauteng Province with 65 passengers on board including the bus crew. Lieutenant Colonel Otto said the bus’ wreckage was still in the road adding that they had temporarily closed the highway and urged motorists to use the Witvlag road as an alternative.

“The bus was travelling to Johannesburg and when it reached near Witvlag turn off the driver lost control resulting in it overturning killing four people (two male and two females )instantly. Twenty nine other people escaped with minor injuries while another 32 were unhurt,” said Lieutenant Colonel Otto.

She said the deceased were taken to Makhado government mortuary while the injured were undergoing treatment at Louis Trichardt Memorial Hospital.

Lieutenant Colonel Otto said they were yet to notify the deceased’s next of kin. She also confirmed further investigations into the accident were underway.

This latest accident brings to 24 the total number of Zimbabweans who have died in road accidents along the N1 highway in the last 12 months. The N1 highway is one of the busiest roads in South Africa as it links that country to the rest of Africa and it is the route, which handles a lot of commercial cargo movement.

The road has also become a death trap for Zimbabweans and citizens of countries north of the Limpopo and Zambezi rivers.